Factors influencing the implementation of information communication technology projects in public secondary schools in Kwale county, Kenya

Abstract

ICT projects and their relevance in education are spreading rapidly in schools not just in wealthy countries, but increasingly in developing ones as well. However, although schools have had computers for almost two decades and some with ICT projects underway, ways to use and implement them effectively have evolved slowly and patchily. Technological revolution in schools has been beset by theoretical inadequacies that have kept educational technology at the margins of the established educational system. Research findings across the country have revealed that there are ICT facilities in the secondary schools such as computers, computer laboratories, internet connections, alongside the traditional methods of telecommunication. Further research has revealed that projects involving ICT use and integration in the Kenyan secondary schools have both internal and external challenging factors leading to weak implementation of these ICT projects. The study was done in secondary schools in Kwale County, Kenya. The purpose of the study was to establish the factors influencing the implementation of Information and Communication Technology projects in public secondary Schools in Kwale County. The objectives of the study were to establish how infrastructural facilities influence the implementation of ICT projects in public secondary schools in Kwale County, Kenya, to examine the role of stakeholders in ICT projects implementation in public secondary schools in Kwale County, Kenya, to determine how financial resource influence the implementation of ICT projects implementation in public secondary schools in Kwale County, Kenya, to establish the school administrative practices that supports the implementation of ICT projects implementation in public secondary schools in Kwale County, Kenya. Non-experimental descriptive survey design was used to establish the factors that influence the implementation of ICT projects in secondary schools Kwale County. There are 60 secondary schools that made up the target population. A sample of twenty schools which equated to 48% of the total population was used in the study. Stratified random was used to allow full participation of the schools. There are 650 teachers in secondary schools that made up the target population. Four teachers were randomly sampled in each sample school to fill the questionnaire, also six students. Eight principals were interviewed to represent each category of schools. Questionnaires, observation schedule and interview enabled the researcher collect data. Piloting was done in two schools to test the reliability and validity of the research instruments. The data collected was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics was used to present the results of the study and the general trends; this involved tabulating and describing data.